stand for
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verb (intr, preposition)
to represent or mean
mainly British to be or become a candidate for
to support or recommend
informal to tolerate or bearhe won't stand for any disobedience
QUIZ
SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?
Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!
Question 1 of 6
Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?
Words nearby stand for
stand corrected, stand-down, standee, standfast, standfirst, stand for, stand guard, stand-in, stand in awe, stand in for, standing
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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How to use stand for in a sentence
Other Idioms and Phrases with stand for
stand for
Represent, symbolize, as in The stars and stripes stands for our country. [Early 1600s]
Advocate, support, uphold, as in The National Writers Union stands for freedom of the press. [c. 1300] Also see stand up for.
Put up with, tolerate. This usage is generally in a negative context, as in Mother will not stand for rude behavior. [Late 1800s] Also see hold still for.
stand for something. Have some value or importance, as in She realized that appearances do stand for something. This usage dates from the mid-1800s but was preceded by stand for nothing, meaning “be worthless,” dating from the late 1300s. Also see stand in for.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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